Have You Seen Luis Velez? Catherine Ryan Hyde

If you need an uplifting book, that invites you to reflect on life and your role in it, then pick this one up.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Raymond who feels as a seventeen year old like a bit of a misfit in his family. His step Dad doesn’t really accept him, his mother listens then forgets and his Dad has a new wife that doesn’t really like Raymond’s Dad paying any attention to him.

How Raymond turned out like he has is beyond me because he has the kindest of hearts. And one day he is rewarded because an older woman of ninety or so “sees” him. She is blind but when she calls out a question, Raymond stops to check on what that’s all about. How many people would stop and check? Too few most likely.

And so begins an unusual relationship between Raymond and Mrs G. At first I thought everyone needs a Raymond in their world. But then… a Luis Velez is good too and really Mrs G. is just so full of wisdom. So they all enriched me and each other.

This is really a very heart warming book, it speaks to what is wrong in our world today in so many ways. Life can be hard and challenging, people experience prejudice, hate, loneliness, helplessness, injustice and racial non acceptance. What is the answer? Well Raymond and Luis are answers. And they invite you and me to be answers.